The Handyman in me.

I like watching home improvement show especially This Old House. In the past, I used to buy Family Handyman magazine. I also have some experience in plumbing. Not an expert, but still I can repair minor leaks. Just ask my aunt. There's a leaking trap underneath her kitchen sink. It's been there for almost a year but nobody's there to fix it. Coincidentally, I'm on my sabbatical leave, and sometimes have a slumber party with my late cousin.

There's a leak in our kitchen sink. The problem with construction practise here in the 80's is, there's no building code. Another that irks me is some 'contractors' or 'handyman' are not qualified enough. There is a need for a building code. It's easy to do renovation if building code are applied. One know how long the water inlet should be.

There's a really short space to work on. The copper pipe is too short. And there's no shut-off cock under the sink. I need to install one. Well, it's not a common practise here but in America, it's a must. At least to Richard Trethewey. And I have some American publication on plumbing which advises on the importance of shut-off cock near a water fixture.

So the faucet is leaking. And there's no shut-off cock. Copper piping. I'm more familiar with PVC pipes, but with all the knowledge I learnt from Richard of This Old House, I'm confident.

My tools and fittings. 2 wrenches, the faucet and the grubby copper pipes are salvaged from the existing faucet. The shut-off cock and 2 connector are from the hardware store. I need the connector because I need the ferrules and nuts. And also it's good to have back-up.

This is a tubing cutter. When I was younger, I ruined my father's cutter. I applied too much pressure. And I get a big smack! I used to avoid using this contraption until I watch Richard using one. Apparently, one have to apply pressure gradually. Apply and rotate. Tighten and rotate. It will leave a groove. Repeat until it cuts the pipe.

There! Adding a new fitting. The shut-off valve. Using a ferrule is quite hard. Maybe, I'm still not familiar. One have to tighten until it compresses the pipe. Hence the name, compression ring.

This is not an engagement ring. This is a ferrule. Or a compression ring. Depends on where you live. I told the store-helper where is the ferrule and all I get is a BIG QUESTION MARK. In a country which favours BrE, this is called a compression ring. 

I learnt my plumbing from Americans. Therefore I use faucet instead of tap. cock instead of valve and ferrule instead of compression ring.

Calling a valve, a cock is something frown upon by my father. Whenever I say cock, he'll correct me. "It's a valve"

Cock is a dirty word.